Newman Counseling Alternatives, P.A.

10/06/2025

In Israel, scientists conducted a remarkable study. A single drop of a participant’s blood was placed under a microscope and projected on a screen. What they saw was captivating: bacteria slowly moving around… and macrophages — the “clean-up crew” of the blood — just lying dormant.

The bacteria were wandering freely, as if on a peaceful evening stroll. The macrophages? Fast asleep, ignoring their job entirely.

Then something unexpected happened. The participant was shown a funny movie — and as their mood lifted, the macrophages suddenly “woke up.” One of them rolled over to a nearby bacterium and started devouring it with real enthusiasm.

This wasn’t lunch time. This was science.

🧠 Our mood directly influences our immune cells.

Here’s the twist: the blood sample had been separated from the participant and was in a different room. Somehow, the change in the participant’s emotional state affected the blood at a distance.

When researchers switched to horror film clips, the opposite happened. The bacteria became energized, multiplied rapidly, and even started attacking the macrophages, forcing them to retreat.

👉 The state of our consciousness plays a critical role in maintaining our inner ecosystem.

And it doesn’t stop with us. Since our relatives share our bloodline, our emotional states can influence their immune systems too — even across continents. This is what some call “family immunity.”

A watchmaker once shared a story: whenever his left index finger would start twitching — making his delicate work impossible — he wouldn’t massage it or take supplements. He’d call his mother, thousands of kilometers away, and say:

“Mom, you’re worrying again! Stop it — I can’t work like this!”

Even mild maternal anxiety was enough to affect his physiology.

🌿 The takeaway:
The old saying “It’s my life, I’ll do what I want” is outdated. Our mental state impacts not just our health, but the well-being of those we love.

So, find ways to cultivate joy, laughter, and inner harmony — not just for yourself, but for your entire “immune tribe.”

PS: This reminds us of Norman Cousins, who famously healed from a terminal illness through laughter. His story, told in “Anatomy of an Illness” (1976), showed that positive emotions can activate the body’s healing systems. Turns out, “Laughter is the best medicine” isn’t just a saying — it’s physiology.

10/05/2025

Research shows that when children ask to be carried, even though their legs can walk, it’s not laziness. It’s longing.

They’re not incapable.
They’re reaching for closeness.

Because here’s the truth:
A child can run around the playground for hours.
They can climb stairs, chase friends, and jump without hesitation. But suddenly, with mom or dad nearby, they raise their arms and plead, “Carry me.” And in that moment, it’s not their legs that are tired. It’s their heart that needs holding.

Why?
Because physical closeness is emotional fuel.

🧠 Attachment research shows that touch, holding, and closeness regulate a child’s nervous system, lowering cortisol and strengthening their sense of security (Feldman, 2010). Being carried tells them, 'You are safe.' You belong. You don’t have to do life all alone.

Why does this matter?

Because when we don’t understand it, we believe the lie: They’re spoiled. They’re manipulating. They should be independent by now.

But science is whispering: Independence grows out of secure dependence first.

Here’s what supporting that can look like:
→ Offering to carry them when you can, without shaming.
→ Meeting their need for connection through cuddles, hugs, and presence.
→ Remembering that “carry me” today becomes the inner voice of “I can carry myself” tomorrow.

The truth is, children don’t ask to be carried forever. But they will never forget how it felt to be held.

So maybe the question isn’t,
“Why can’t they just walk?”
Maybe it’s,
“What if their raised arms are really saying, ‘Hold me close so I can keep going?’”

Because the world doesn’t just need kids who walk strongly, it requires kids who know the strength of love that carried them first. 🤍

10/04/2025

Art | Nikolaos Gyzis

10/04/2025

Listen to her wisdom

10/03/2025

The bond between mother and child goes far beyond birth. A fascinating phenomenon known as fetal-maternal chimerism reveals that your baby’s DNA continues to live within your bloodstream for years after birth—and even in your brain for the rest of your life. Ayurveda recognizes the profound connection between mother and child, emphasizing the importance of nurturing and maintaining this bond.

The body’s ability to maintain this genetic connection shows the power of life and the wisdom of nature. Ayurveda teaches us that the connections we form in life—whether with our children, our environment, or ourselves—are vital to our overall well-being.

This powerful connection between mother and child is a reminder of the deep, intrinsic ties that make us who we are. Ayurveda supports this connection by encouraging mindful practices that nourish both the body and spirit. 💖🌱

10/03/2025

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

09/30/2025

"What makes you beautiful isn’t just your smile or the way you carry yourself ...

It’s the way you stayed kind in a world that hasn’t always been kind to you.
It’s the way you still choose softness, even when life has handed you every reason to grow cold.
You’ve been bruised, broken, tested in ways no one sees, yet you still greet people with warmth, offer love without condition, and hold space for others even when your own heart feels heavy.

There’s a quiet strength in choosing compassion when bitterness would be easier. That’s the kind of beauty that doesn’t fade—the kind that radiates from the inside out.

It’s not about perfection or pretending everything’s okay; it’s about being real, staying gentle, and refusing to let the world harden you.

And that is the kind of beauty that truly changes the world".

✍️🏻 Unknown author

09/28/2025

There's a few simple choices in life...